Spillage device for bag filling machines



A. s. CHANDLER 2,001,485

SPILLAGE DEVICE FOR BAG FILLING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1935.

Filed Oct. 3, 1934 825 TS@ l May 14, 1935. A. s. CHANDLER 2,001,485

SPILLAGE DEVICE FOR BAG FILLING MACHINES Filed 0G12. 3, 1954 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented May 14, 1935 SPILLAGE- DE setts vIcE Foa BAG FILLING' MAcHINEsi Austin S. Chandler, Fitchburg, Mass., assigner to The Brown BagFillingMachine Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachu- Application October 3, 1934, Serial No.2746,733`

7 Claims.

AThe invention relates to devices for bag and other receptacle filling machines, and has for a purpose to present a new and simple device for use in conjunction with a charge measuring and 5 deliveringk means and a receptacle-presenting means whereby, in case a receptacle is not properly presented, or does not become set in vproper receiving relation to the charge delivering means the charge Will be guided to a proper point oi storage, or returned to the stock in the machine. It is particularly useful where a charge delivering device is employedto-discharge or throw a charge in atpath which includes the position in which the empty yreceptacle should beset properly,=one device-ofthiskindY being illustrated in my co- 668,048,y led September 2, 1933, for Receptacle filling and sealing machines; and my present invention will be useful Whether an intervening tunnel is used to v guide. thecharge,` or whether the latter is thrown 'or-directed into-the receptacle without any intervening tube. It is an aimto present a device for. .returning a charge when a receptacle is presented `butnot opened fully enough -to receive the charge, andwhichwill respond tov-engagement of the receptacle itself when properly opened, to per- Ypending application, Ser. No.

' mit entry of the `charge thereto.

Itis-.alsdan aimfto constructthe appliance in suchmanner that itwill be inexpensive, light in `iireightwillloccupy small space in the iilling ma.- chine, and Will notrequire-power` connections for itsoperati'on; .yet which will be highly effective and durable inv-operation witha minimum liability of derangement. f

Additional objects, advantages, `and features of invention-reside inthe construction, arrangement and combination ofl parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as willeappear from :the following description -andiv accompanying drawings, "wherein i Figurel is an endview of the machine of my said'sprior application with -non-essential'parts omitted-anda part ofthe hopperwall broken awayto show the measure.`

Figure 2 is Ia fragmentary elevation of the rbag opener .andhopper with parts broken awayA to show the funnel, trap,.vand return chute.

operated and no bag properly presented.

" Figure 5 isa similar View showing a bagrproper- .i ly .opened and .engaging the -spillen Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. y

l The prior machine on which my invention is shown included a'hopper I0 having a stock conveyor lift 30,"a top hopper 3I, and a measuring 5 device 33 operative asl described in my prior patent application. There was also provided a bag presenting device 85E-9i operative as described in the said patent application, in conjunction with the' endless ribbed belt conveyor 105. The de- 10 tails of these mechanisms being no novel part of the present invention', are not described in detailhere:

Bags Sl are shown in the box or chute 85, which are brought into position to receive the lower end 15 of the ,opener 53 mounted for vertical reciprocaf tion 5 on the front side of the hopper lil. This opener, as described in my `prior application, is of thinsheet metal, U-shaped in cross ysection including a planiform iront wall or plate I I having a lower projecting arcuate edgev I2, and side walls I3 at right angles thereto, their rear or outer'edges M having a maximumvhorizontal projection at their upper portions, and being gradually dethey merge intov the plate II. In other words, their edges are inclined outwardly and upwardly from 'the plane of the plate il for the majorpart of their vertical extent, so that after the project- 'ing lower edge I2 of the opener enters a bag, the 30 inclined edges I4 of the walls I3 willvengage the back wall of the bag and press it rearwardly from the front wall, opening the bag suiciently to receive a charge from the measure 33. The opener 63 is reciprocated by any suitable means in coor- 35 dination with the measure, as is understood.

For guiding the charge from the measure 33 to the bag -when presented'and opened, a charge `guide hopper or chute I5"is formed in a forward extension It of the front ofthe main hopper IU 40 which is projected over the conveyor |05, stopping: short' of and being formed with a vertical Wall adjacent the plane of the first bag in the bag box 85 whenpresentedin position for opening. This forward extension of Vthe hopper I0 has a 45 lower side or floor ll' extending rearwardly from the mouthof the chute `I5 andlocated somek dis- .tance above the level of the top of a bag of maximum height that maybe presented. To accommodate `shorter-bags removable spout pieces I8 are provided-one of'which is removably attachedfto they lower `side II of the hopperk extension I6, and its sides Yalinedwith those of theY chute I5,-1soas .toform av continuous passage through the :parts T55 creased in extent towardtheir lower ends where 25 I and I 8l This passage may be of nearly kor quite uniform width from side to side but from front to back is preferably tapered downwardly,Y

as shown. The spout projects clear of adjacent structural parts, and has pivoted on a lug I9 at its-rear upper part a diverter or trap 28. This trap consists of two arms 2| pivoted at respective Y sides of the spout on the lug I9, and carrying at their lower ends a chute-like charge guiding or deflecting part consisting of an inclined plate 22 having `side plates 23 joined with/the arms 2|. The inclined plate extends upwardly and forwaidly soV that it may rest snugly against the front lower edge of the spout 8,while the side plates 23 abut the lower side edges of the spout I8. Small contractile springs 24 are connected between the arms and the spout to hold the trapVv 'snugly at the bottom of the spout, but yieldable to pressure of. an opened bag thereagainst. The trap or diverter I8 is made preferably of the light- Yest materials and of limited dimensions kso that the mass required to be moved by the bag will be a minimum. The inclinedplate 22 is preferably 'Y at an angle'not less than 45 degrees to the horirzontal, and is extended rearwardly fromits upper edge beyond the space required to accommodate a lledbag before the bag box 85. But vthe space under the upper forward extension I6 of themain hopper |`0 extends further toward the rear, and the front side of the hopper l0 is open on this space as at 2| from immediately underV the top :door |I to a distance a little above thelevel of the bottom ofthe bag box, where a lower slight forward projection or mouth 22 of the hopper is formed open only at the upper side. Its front side is vertical for a short distance, and from this there extends downwardly and rearwardly the inclined bottom 23 of the hopper IU, 'A' receiver or guide V24 of diverted charges is provided below the trap,

which is substantiallyY U-shaped in cross section, having the inclined bottomA plate 25, the lower Y partV of which is turned downwardto set in the is narrower than the Yhopper mouth 22, and the parallel 'vertical side plates 26 integralwith the bottom 25Y the upper Yforward parts of which are formed with vertical edges betweenwhich the trap 28 swings freely. The plate 25 preferably extends upwardly above the'level o f thel lower edge of .the trap when the latter is in imtiaiposition as in'r'igures 1, 3 and 4, and engages that edge of the trap as a stop, as in Figures 3 and 4. The front opening 2| of the hopper I8 I0 and the latter has flanges 2'I (Fig. 2) extending vertically beside the opening, forming part of the body of the hopper ,la The side plates 26 of the receiver are formed with lateral flanges 28 securedrernovably to the fianges 21. The guide 24 is shown with aback wall 29,'which may have an upper part curved forwardly as desired, and will prevent stock spilling from the measure fromv escaping through the opening 2|, although the wall 28 may be omitted and other guard means provided. VVIt will be noted that the opener 63'is vertically slidable on the front part of the extension I8, theside plates of the opener fitting loosely and slidable beside the sides of the extension. The chute I5, spout I8 and the'trap 28,are narirower. The plates 32 of the Vlower guide chute 28-are also spaced to lie within and clear ofthe side plates I3 of the opener 63. The rear part of the trap lies initially betweenthe forward upper parts ofthe plates-32,'and swings freely therebetween. These parts including the opener 63 may be'used-for various widths lof bags, but it may be found desirable to use a wider opener for wider bags, so that when opened the rearwardly pressed back wall of a bag will have sufficient tension to press the trap 28 rearwardly; If shorter bags are used than s hown,'it is desirable to use a spout I8 longer than shown, with the trap 28 correspondingly lower, and inV consequence a corresponding f guide 28 with its plate 29 stopping properly will also be essential.

' In use, the bag box 85 is supplied with flat paper bags each havingV a rear wall 48 and aV front wall V4| having a tongue 42 projected above the top edge of the wall 40. VThe mechanism of the machine moves the box rearwardly until the tongue ofthe first bag bears against the tongue I2 of the opener 63, while the vwall 48 passes `under the tongueV of the opener, and by the resilience of the bags is caused to become slightly spaced from the front wall of the bag. The mechanism then operates the opener which is plunged downward.

the edges |4 of the side'plates, I3 of the opener pressing against the top edge portion of the wall 40 of the bag and moving it rearwardly-until the opener is fully'engaged in the bag. In this movement of the wall 48 of the bag it engages the plateV 22 of the trap 20, and causes the latter to swing rearwardly vfrom underthe spout |8, until the wall 40 of the bag is located to the rear Vof the spout, as in Figure 5.V 'I'he mechanism of the machine will then already -have initiated movement of the `measure 33 forwardly, and upon completion of that movement ther contents of the measure will be projected or catapulted into vthe guide |5throughthe 'spout I8 into'the bag.V The box 85 will then be drawn forwardly, permitting the bag to drop on the'conveyorf |85 by'which it.

will be removed and the filling operations repeated as described; In the event 'that'nobag is presented by the box V85, or should the opener Y63 engage improperly and cause collapse o f the for the bag, the plate |I serving principally asa" spacing means as'far as the ropeningoperation is concerned, although in the particular "appavratus of the machine illustrated it alsoserves'tosupport the bag in conjunction'with thebox 85,

until the latter is drawn forwardly, `relieving'the filled bag from frictional#engagement` with the next bag in the box. g f

I claimz- 1. A charge spiller forY bagfllling machines and the like comprising a chargeA deliveringfmeans, bag presentingmeans to move part ofi'anN open bag into receiving relationthereto, a charge di- Yverter movable into receiving relation to -the charge delivering means, vyielding means to'holdv Vthe diverter in receiving position, said diverter being located in the path ofagbag'part to receiving position, lwhereby the diverter `will be moved out of receiving position by such pag.1

2.,I'hev structure of claim l in which the charge deliveringV means includes a bag opener'inclu'ding two spaced apart members adapted to entera bag and to stretch the same to draw an advancing wall of the vbag sufficiently tautto move the diverter.`

3. The structure of claim 1V in which the charge delivering means includes a delivery spout, the diverter device being in the form of a chute-like member having an open upper part initially in receiving relation to the spout, and being pivoted to swing laterally from receiving position, away from the spout and a presented bag.

4. 'Ihe structure of claim 1 in which the charge delivering means includes a delivery spout, the diverter device being in the form of a chute-1ike member having an open upper part initially in receiving relation to the spout, and being pivoted to swing laterally from receiving position away from the spout and a presented bag, and a spring connected with the diverter and anchored under stress tending to hold the diverter in receiving position.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which the charge delivering means includes a delivery spout, the diverter device being in the form of a chute-like member having an open upper part initially in receiving relation to the spout, and being pivoted to swing laterally from receiving position, away from the spout and a presented bag, the bag-presenting means being constructed to open a bag and to present the open part of the bag closely beneath the spout and against the diverter,A with the advanced wall of the bag unsupported at its mouth over a part extending beyond the diverter at each side, but sufiiciently taut to move the diverter.

6. In a bag of the character described, means to deliver a charge for bags, means to present a bag adjacent the path of delivery of the charge, an opener comprising two spaced apart tapered members adapted to enter the presented bag and move the outer side thereof across said path, a diverter movable into and out of said path, and having a part in the path of the said outer wall of a presented bag when opened, and yielding means to hold the diverter in the path yieldable to said wall of a bag.

7. In a machine of the character described, a main hopper having an upper forwardly extended part having an opening through its lower side, means to project a charge therethrough, means to present a bag in line closely adjacent the front side of the extension, an opener on the extension movable to enter the bag and having two Wall spreading members inclined upward from the plane of entrance to the bag in a plane extending across said path and constructed, arranged and adapted to move the wall of the bag next Vsaid path across the path to receive a charge therewithin, a charge diverter movable to receive a charge through said opening and movable out of said path, and being in the path of movement of a Wall moved by the wall spreading members, and means to hold the diverter in receiving position yieldable to the wall of a bag.

AUSTIN S. CHANDLER. 

